Substance reigns at GOP debate

The final four Republican presidential candidates engaged in mostly civil, substantive debate Thursday in Miami, a sharp break from recent mudslinging between the White House hopefuls.

“I cannot believe how civil it’s been up here,” billionaire businessman Donald Trump said midway through the 12th GOP debate.

The CNN-hosted event was the final chance for candidates to persuade primary voters going to the polls on Tuesday in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio—states that offer 358 combined delegates. Trump leads the delegate count with 458, followed by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas (359), Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida (151), and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (54).

Cruz, Rubio, and Kasich benefited from the debate’s substance by laying out detailed plans on issues ranging from trade and immigration to foreign policy and climate change. Trump stumbled on several policy issues, failing to offer details and often repeating himself.

The debate likely did not fundamentally change the race dynamics heading into the second half of the primary calendar. While the three challengers hit Trump on a few issues, they seemed more focused on looking presidential themselves than taking on the front-runner, who leads most state and national polls.

One of the night’s most memorable moments came on a question about the administration’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba, actions Trump has previously said he supports. On Thursday he said he would have negotiated a better deal, but declined to name specifics.

“Here’s a good deal,” Rubio interjected. “Cuba has free elections. Cuba stops putting people in jail for speaking out. Cuba has freedom of the press.”

Cruz hit Trump for his lack of specificity, noted the businessman has said he would not tear up the Iran nuclear deal upon taking office, and called Trump’s proposed 45 percent tax on Chinese imports a tax on American consumers. Cruz also criticized Trump for saying he would be a neutral party in Israel-Palestinian negotiations.

“Nobody is more pro-Israel than me,” Trump said, citing his two Jewish grandchildren and his role as grand marshal of a pro-Israel parade in 2004.

Trump didn’t fare much better on domestic issues. He said he wants to save Social Security from insolvency by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse, a plan moderator Dana Bash noted would save about $3 billion of the needed $150 billion. Trump said he would cut back on troops and money flowing to countries such as Germany, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia to raise the other $147 billion.

“Foreign aid is less than 1 percent of the federal budget,” said Rubio, who proposed raising the retirement age for younger workers. “The numbers don’t add up.”

Rubio and Kasich have faced continuing calls to exit the race to allow a one-on-one contest, but both think they can overcome deficits in polls—which have frequently proved errant—to defeat Trump in their home states Tuesday. If they succeed, it would deal a serious blow to the businessman’s effort to reach the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination.

Outside groups are airing anti-Trump ads in Florida markets to blunt the billionaire, but Cruz launched efforts in the state to help the mogul and force Rubio from the race.

Once again, Trump dominated the news cycle going into the debate. Critics assailed the businessman for increasing violence at his rallies, including a reporter who was roughed up by Trump’s campaign manager Tuesday, and a protester who was sucker-punched Wednesday.

After Jake Tapper read Trump’s own words of incitement, Trump said he’s not happy with the violent incidents, but Americans are upset by bad trade deals, high taxes, and lost jobs.

Trump has also faced criticism over his new practice of asking rally-goers to raise their right hands to pledge their support. In one of the most memorable lines of the night, Cruz told the crowd: “We are here to pledge to you, not the other way around.”

The latest criticisms haven’t deterred former candidate Ben Carson, who withdrew from the race last week and reportedly plans to endorse Trump on Friday. Trump previously attacked Carson in very personal terms, but Thursday the retired neurosurgeon told Fox News Radio, “There’s two Donald Trumps. There’s the Donald Trump that you see on television and who gets out in front of big audiences, and there’s the Donald Trump behind the scenes. They’re not the same person. One’s very much an entertainer, and one is actually a thinking individual.”